1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to theme or amusement park rides that simulate racing to guests, and, more particularly, to a whip ride with a design that provides a vehicle that experiences a whipping action on both inside and outside curves (or left and right turns) including an increased velocity or speed (relative to straight portions of the ride course) and, in some cases, spinning or pivoting of the vehicle (e.g., a backend of the vehicle may spin outward relative to the general direction of travel as during race car drifting).
2. Relevant Background
Amusement parks continuously seek new designs for rides to continue to attract and entertain the numbers of people that visit their parks each year. Often rides are popular if they include surprising movements or speeds and sensations not typically experienced by a visitor, e.g., quick turns or accelerations typically not felt when riding in a car on a highway or a city.
With such ride features in mind, whip rides have been popular rides for many years, with early designs being manufactured almost a hundred years ago. Whip rides are flat rides in which motors rotate two pulleys or wheels so as to move a cable or chain on an oval path. These pulleys or wheels are provided on a planar surface or platform, and a drive structure or truck (or more simply, a connection arm) is attached to the chain or cable. The drive truck is typically a rigid, triangular structure with two corners attached to the chain and a third corner riding on the platform on a caster or wheel. The third corner is offset a distance from the moving chain (such as 2 to 4 feet offset), and a vehicle or car is pivotably attached to the drive truck at or near this third corner via a tow bar. When the ride is stopped, passengers may walk across the platform to get into the vehicles. The pulleys are then rotated to cause the drive trucks to move about the oval track.
In the straight portions of the oval or straightaways, the towed vehicle follows behind the third corner of the drive truck at the speed or velocity of the chain and attached drive truck. At each end, however, the offset mounting location of the vehicle and its pivotable mounting cause the towed vehicle, which is traveling on casters (or pivotable wheels) to accelerate and travel faster than the chain as it has to travel further. As a result, the vehicle and its passengers are whipped at each end of the oval with the back end of the vehicle being spun or rotated outward in amounts that vary based on the acceleration and weight of the vehicle and its passengers. Typically, the pulleys are rotated at a constant speed such that the drive chain or cable moves at a relatively slow, constant speed such as less than about 7 feet per second. However, the whipping action causes the vehicles to accelerate to a much faster maximum speed in the corners or ends of the oval track such as up to about 15 feet per second (or over double the drive or input velocity), which can produce an exciting ride for passengers over a wide range of ages.
Unfortunately, whip rides are very predictable and repetitive, and many passengers become bored or tired of these rides after just one or two experiences. The conventional cable drive system provided on top of a platform limits the ride path to a simple oval or circle. Also, the track or course is usually relatively short such that the basic shape of the track combined with the numerous laps provides a predictable ride. Further, the attachment arm or drive truck remains or rides on one side (i.e., the outside) of the moving drive cable and, as a result, all turns are outside turns such as all left turns or right turns. Whipping only occurs at the ends of the oval track and is always in the same direction (i.e., outward from the center or inside of the track), which also may reduce enjoyment of the passengers.
Hence, there remains a need for improved whip or whip-based rides. Preferably such rides would include the acceleration and changes in speed associated with whip-like turns but also provide more variation and unpredictability to enhance the thrill and enjoyment associated with the ride thus bringing guests back for repeat visits/experiences.